The present invention refers to a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure.

In general, the present invention relates to: electromagnetic devices; devices that influence the relative position or orientation of articles during transport by conveyors.

In particular, the present invention relates to: applications of devices for generating or transmitting to and fro movements with means for controlling the direction, frequency or amplitude of the vibration or shaking movement.

Patent application EP 0541 768 A1 relates to an apparatus for the reversible transport of articles along a surface, comprising an electromagnetic coil oriented on a horizontal plane capable of moving the surface in a first direction on the horizontal plane, means for moving the surface in a second direction in the horizontal plane, where the second direction is substantially opposite to the first direction in the horizontal plane, an electromagnetic coil oriented in a vertical plane capable of moving the surface in a first direction in the vertical plane and a means to move the surface in a second direction in the vertical plane, where the second direction is substantially opposite to the first direction in the vertical plane, thus generating movement of the bidirectional part along the surface. The apparatus includes two electromagnetic coils oriented on a horizontal plane and operated with a step angle offset of 180°. The vibratory movement of the apparatus necessary to perform its functions of movement and manipulation, i.e. transport, orientation, sorting, loading and the like is preferably generated by electromagnetic coils driven by electric current. A vibratory mechanism of the present invention includes an outer frame which vibrates in the horizontal plane. A support frame vibrates vertically (in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane) within the outer frame and supports a vibrating surface.

Patent EP 2393 739 B1 relates to a system for supplying components, comprising a vibrating device equipped with a frame, a vibrating support, a plate which forms a surface to allow the components to be gripped by a robot and supported by the vibrating support, and vibrating means arranged to be able to vibrate the plate in one of the three directions x, y, z, and to be able to vibrate the plate in directions corresponding to any combination of these three directions x, y and z, the vibrating means comprise vibrating actuators respectively connected on one side to the vibrating support and on the other hand to the frame to maintain the vibrating support, the vibrating actuators respectively comprising a fixed element mounted on the frame, a vibrating element mounted in a movable manner with respect to the fixed element and connected to the vibrating support and a guide connecting the fixed element and the vibrating element arranged to allow the vibrating element to move with at least five degrees of freedom, three degrees of freedom in translation and at least two degrees of freedom in rotation.

US patent 6,854,585 B2 relates to a conveyor and selector of small directional parts for simultaneously imparting reciprocal movements on a bearing plate along one or two horizontal axes perpendicular to each other and a third vertical axis. A stack of slidably coupled carriages are driven independently by a stepper motor. Each motor is coupled to a carriage by means of a mechanism that translates the rotation of the motor into a linear translation of the carriage coupled by means of a worm screw or a transmission belt. An electronic module controlled by a data processor allows you to adjust the duration, amplitude, frequency and step relationship of the three periodic movements of the plan. A reservoir of parts along the plate can be raised to provide parts on the plate or lowered under the protrusion of the plate to receive parts from the plate. The conveyor and sorter can be used in connection with various manufacturing processes of electronic components.

Patent application ITVR20130188 relates to a vibrating plate comprising a fixed frame supporting at least one sheet-like body and associated with a vibrator group, between the fixed frame and the sheet-like body being interposed a suspension device comprising at least two suspensions. The suspensions comprise, respectively, a first leaf spring extending along a first direction of development and a second leaf spring extending along a second direction of development substantially perpendicular to the first direction of development, the first and second leaf springs being mutually connected rigidly and directly to each other and being connected, respectively, to the fixed frame and to the sheet-like body, the first leaf spring having a first connection zone connected to a second connection zone defined on the second leaf spring, between the first connection zone and the second connection zone a connection joint adapted to realize an interlocking constraint to block the reciprocal translation and the reciprocal rotation between the first connection zone and the second connection zone, the connection joint comprising two clamping elements extending on a lying plane substantially parallel to the floor position of the iron sheets constituting the first leaf spring to which they are associated and mutually approachable to rigidly clamp the portion of the first leaf spring between them defining the first connection zone, the clamping elements being connected to a plate lying on a plane parallel to the iron sheets constituting the second leaf spring to tighten the second connection area between the plate and the head portion of the first portion defined on the first leaf spring.

US patent 7,550,880 B1 relates to a family of bending suspension systems for reciprocating linear motors, in particular of the moving coil type, in which basic bending span elements, each constituting a flat spring or typically a stack thereof, are arranged in a folded bending configuration to suspend a movable armature from a base in a manner with a precise linear travel path along a central axis. The intrinsic general balancing and the elimination of unwanted forces acting on the system components allow to obtain a constant operating air gap, eliminate the unwanted torque imposed on the armature, on the coil and on the entire mechanical group.

Patent JP-B2-5739463 describes a system according to the preamble of Claim 1.

The creation of a handling device, with the possibility of bouncing the product and capable of bidirectional feeds, forward or backward, on three axes, longitudinal X, transverse Y and vertical Z, controlled individually or in a combined manner, serves to respond to the growing requests from customers to operate vibrating feeds of generic products, with necessary interchangeability during production.

The commercial need is to combine the production and distribution of linear resonance vibratory feeders, already intended for heterogeneous handling and transport sectors, with vibrating generic product feeds, with the necessary jolt function and the possibility of easy interchangeability during production, both in terms of the type of product and its format.

In the industrial automation market, there is a growing demand for vibrating systems that allow for more flexible feeds, which can be modified during construction, intended for productions made in smaller batches, but characterized by a greater range of product types.

In a plant comprising an embodiment of a system for the controlled movement of a structure, the components to be selected are introduced on a channel of a handling device by means of a loading hopper and subsequently arranged extensively on a selection plane. A vision system, with an integrated camera, photographs the layout; a robotic pick & place, selects the pieces that meet the positioning requirements; at the end of the selection step, the remaining product is jolted and subjected again to the screening of the vision system; there is a procedure for unloading the sliding surface, followed by a new subsequent loading of it with another product.

The linear vibratory feeders in resonance allow a one-way product transport, exclusively forwards or backwards, depending on the angle of inclination with which the leaf springs are positioned, generating a resonant movement together with the masses of the system, resonator mechanical, controlled by an electromagnet. The harmonic response of a resonant linear vibratory feeder, attributable to a mass-spring-damper physical model, determines the electromechanical behavior of the vibrating device at its own frequency fO. The periodic oscillation of the leaf springs and of the counterweights connected to them, electronically controlled at a frequency value f coinciding or close to fO, creates a vibration useful for conveying the product, subjecting it to repeated launches with an angle equal to the inclination of the springs themselves.

In a resonant linear vibratory feeder, the movement of product on the transport channel is performed by repeating with frequency f, equal to the command frequency of the vibrating device, a throw of amplitude AO and an angle equal to the angle at which the leaf springs are inclined, with respect to the horizontal plane of the duct itself. In detail, this launch can be broken down into a horizontal and a vertical component, with a variable ratio by changing the inclination of the leaf springs. On current devices, this is possible with mechanical intervention. Furthermore, a different launch is necessary according to the type of product to be handled and according to its advancement characteristics, for example, considering the different friction with the sliding plane or the positioning of the upward or downward channel and so on.

There are commercial solutions that implement linear advancement and the function of the jerk by means of eccentric mechanical systems, with cams: these are rigidly conditioned by the profile of the cam, defined in the design step and no longer modifiable except through its replacement.

With the current linear resonant vibratory feeders, during the packing step for the collection of the product on the channel, before reaching systems located downstream of the handling device, it is often encountered the difficulty of alignment between successive pieces, especially if they are light and thin. These, following the repeated launches with which they are advanced, tend to overlap with each other, making accumulation difficult and creating possible jams.

Object of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems by providing a handling device, with the possibility of bouncing the product and capable of bidirectional feeds, forward or backward, on three axes, longitudinal X, transverse Y and vertical Z axes, operated individually or in combination. A further object is being able to move the product on a relative channel in a generalized way, or on three axes in space, X, Y, Z, chosen separately and/or mutually combined in an arbitrary way, controlled in step or with time displacements, forward or backward, depending on the needs related to the type of transport and machinery placed downstream of the handling device, typically a selection device, for example, a robotic pick & place, or a profiler with camera and vision system.

A further object is producing a movement in resonance, but also in the absence of this, or by means of a command at a frequency f that is not coincident and not close to the proper frequency fO of the device. A further object is introducing greater flexibility in the generation of a vibration aimed at the movement of heterogeneous product, by varying its characteristic parameters, including the launch angle, by means of changes in the amplitude of the horizontal movement components, along longitudinal and/or transverse directions, and of vertical movement, elliptical vibration, performed electronically, exploiting the effect of mechanical resonance or in the absence of this. A further object is overcoming the design constraint linked to mechanical choices that are difficult to vary, for example eccentric mechanical systems, with cams, generating movement by means of linear actuators, for example electromagnetic, of the voice coil type, each assigned to a direction in space, three axes.

A further object is cancelling the vertical component of the throw, creating movement with only the horizontal component, in longitudinal and/or transverse directions, i.e. by exploiting the friction between the product to be transported and the plane on which it is made to slide and varying the operation times of the channel forward and backward, asymmetrically with respect to each other.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will emerge from the following description, are achieved with a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure as described in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and variantions of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of the present description. It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modifications (for example relating to shape, dimensions, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

- FIG. 2 shows a relevant part of the previous figure;

- FIG. 3 shows a further relevant part of FIG.

1;

- FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

- FIG. 5 shows a relevant part of the previous figure;

- FIG. 6 shows a further relevant part of FIG. 4;

- FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an embodiment with plant installations of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows an electrical construction diagram of an embodiment of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

- FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure, according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a variation of the previous figure; - FIG. 12 shows a relevant part of FIG. 10,

11;

- FIG. 13, 14, show a front and plan view of an operating diagram of the system of FIG. 11;

- FIG. 15, 16 show a front and plan view of a second operating diagram of the system of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 17, 18, show a transverse and longitudinal front view of a third operating diagram of the system of FIG. 11. Referring to FIG. 1, 4, 7, 10, 11, it is possible to note that a system for the controlled spatial movement of a structure 1 with respect to a base 2 comprises an apparatus for generating and transmitting an alternating motion 3, 30.

Advantageously, the apparatus 3, 30 comprises at least one support 100 driven alternately by at least one motor 4, 5, 6. The support 100 is connected to at least one pair of foils 41, 51, 61. The foils of the pair of foils 41, 51, 61 are mutually spaced on respective parallel planes, orthogonally to a geometrical plane of storage of this at least one support 100. In particular, the pair of sheets 41, 51, 61 are equipped with at least one elastically deformable element to support and guide this at least one support 100.

Preferably, the pair of sheets 41, 51, 61 equipped with at least one elastically deformable element are made up of coincident, elastically deformable sheets having at least one end fitted to the structure 1, to the base 2, and to the support 100, by means of a respective block 11, 12, 13, 14.

Referring to FIG. 2, 3, the apparatus 3, 30 comprises at least one support 71 shaped to be able to connect in succession at least two pairs of sheets 51, 61.

According to a first configuration, the structure 1 lies on a geometric plane parallel to that on which at least one support 100 lies.

Referring to FIG. 5, 6, the motion transmission apparatus 3, 30 comprises at least one further support 72 provided to receive a guide 81,

91 shaped as a sliding slide connected to the structure 1, to the base 2 and to the support 100 by means of a additional block 15, 16. Referring to FIG. 10, 11, 12, the apparatus 30 comprises at least one plinth 102 and at least one spatial joint 101 in order to differentiate the spatial orientation of this at least one support 100 with respect to that of the structure 1. Referring to FIG. 13, 14, the apparatus 30 is configured to allow the structure 1 to keep its spatial orientation fixed while rotating alternately.

Referring to FIG. 15, 16, the apparatus 30 is configured to allow the structure 1 to keep its spatial orientation fixed while translating alternately.

Referring to FIG. 17, 18, the apparatus 30 is configured to allow the structure 1 to alternately tilt its spatial orientation while translating and/or rotating alternately.

Referring to FIG. 17, 18, the apparatus 30 is configured to allow the structure 1 to alternately tilt its spatial orientation while translating and/or rotating alternately. Preferably: each spatial joint 101 is elastically deformable with or without damping;

- the motor 4, 5, 6 is of the electromagnetic or electro-pneumatic type;

- the pairs of foils 41, 51, 61 consist of flat leaf springs.

An elastically supported oscillating actuator 5 consists of a ferromagnetic core (stator), fixed to the support 100 and a movable armature fixed to a block 71, to transmit a movement in step to the structure 1. The elastically supported oscillating actuator 6 is it consists of a ferromagnetic core (stator) fixed to the block 71 and of a movable armature fixed directly to the structure 1, to which it transmits a movement in step.

At least one block 71 allows the support 100 to be elastically connected to the structure 1.

Each block 71 allows to fix a pair of sheets 51 fixed to the support 100 and a pair of sheets 61 fixed to the structure 1.

The moving part of the actuator 5 and the static part of the actuator 6 are also fixed to the same block 71, for the transmission of movement to the structure 1. Referring to FIG. 2, 3, at least one elastic support transmits movement to the structure 1 in one direction and allows movement in the direction perpendicular to it. These movements can be controlled exclusively or simultaneously or by applying a time lag between them. Furthermore, the structure 1 makes the oscillations of the foils 51, 61 parallel, in both directions, with respect to a rest position, obtainable thanks to the elasticity of the foils 51, 61 with zero oscillation.

Referring to FIG. 4, it is possible to replace the sheets 51, 61, with sliding linear guides 91,

81, distinguished by direction. Each oscillating actuator 5, 6 can slide rigidly on linear guides 91, 81 arranged parallel to the direction of oscillating linear movement of the respective actuator. It is possible, but not represented graphically, to connect linear sliding guides also to the vertical oscillating actuator 4. Alternatively, the sliding linear guide 91, 81 can be replaced by any device that allows a linear movement, as long as it is kept rigidly axial in both directions, for example represented by linear guides with sliding of shoes on a profiled rail which adopt bearing mechanisms, ball recirculation, sliding bushings, bushings or similar mechanical components.

Referring to FIG. 5, at least one support rigidly transmits movements in one direction to the structure 1 and allows movements in the direction perpendicular to it. These movements can be controlled exclusively or simultaneously or by applying a time lag between them. Furthermore, the structure 1 makes the oscillations along the shafts 91, 81 parallel in both directions, with respect to a rest position, obtainable by managing the electronic control applied to the oscillating actuators 5, 6.

Referring to FIG. 4, at least one elastic support of FIG. 2 can be combined with at least one rigid support, to rigidly transmit movements in one direction to the structure 1, allowing movements in the direction perpendicular to it. Each elastic support of FIG. 2 is interchangeable with each rigid support and vice versa.

In the model in which the actuators are elastically supported by foils 51, 61, at least the first natural frequency along each axis of the triad of orthogonal axes defined as a function of the vibrating mass fraction is the same. On the other hand, in the model in which the actuators are rigidly guided only by linear sliding guides or by similar mechanical components, the vibrating device 3 is independent from frequency operation. Referring to FIG. 8, the size of the vibrating device 3 is delimited by a sheet metal acting as a casing and the vertical, longitudinal and transverse movements generated are transmitted to a transport channel, which has the function of conveying a heterogeneous product.

The flat leaf springs no longer represent only the elastic component of the mechanical resonator, but also assume the function of supporting, guiding and positioning the parts of the device subject to vibration. In particular, the elasticity of the springs is exploited to synchronize the transport channel with respect to a reference position, understood as the rest position of the vibrating system. Leaf springs are installed in pairs and constitute, only in the case of the longitudinal and transverse directions, a specific joint having two degrees of freedom, allowing bending in one direction, locking that in orthogonal direction and vice versa. A similar joint having two degrees of freedom can be constructed by replacing the single pairs of leaf springs with a linear sliding guide; each of the two guides is installed in such a way as to allow movements in one direction (for example, longitudinal) and to allow movements in a direction orthogonal to it (for example, transversal) and vice versa.

Such actuators, characterized as for eccentric systems by a possibility of bi-directional actuation, forward or backward, and electronically controlled at a fixed or variable frequency, are capable of creating an oscillation with an arbitrary variable amplitude, compatibly with the potential of the actuation device and limited according to its size, by merely modifying the electronic management command, for example, by means of signals generated with PWM - Pulse Width Modulation. By applying the joint with two degrees of freedom consisting of linear sliding guides, it is possible to exploit the management of the electronic control, for example, to calibrate the rest position of the actuators, arbitrarily varying it along the shafts on the sliding guides, based on the power with which the actuators are powered.

It is possible to combine joints with sheets and joints with sliding guides, exploiting the elasticity of the former to ensure a resting position of the sliding surface.

By canceling the vertical component of the throw, it is possible to create a movement with only the horizontal component, along longitudinal and/or transverse directions, i.e. by exploiting the friction between the product to be transported and the plane on which it is made to flow and varying the times of actuation of the channel forwards and backwards, asymmetrically with respect to each other. Thus, the forward movement is controlled with a signal of period tl, for example, slow phase, while that in the opposite direction, backwards, is controlled with a signal of period t2, different from tl, for example, fast phase, or vice versa.. If tl = t2 and leaf springs are used as a support, the horizontal movement falls within the case of harmonic, sinusoidal oscillation, and must be combined with a vertical movement: the resulting vibration, so-called elliptical, allows the product to advance with the launch angle obtained according to the criteria described above. The device with asymmetrical time control represents a model of linear vibratory feeder alternative to a device operating in resonance, so- called fast-back type, aimed at expanding the possibilities of vibrating feeding.

The movement with asymmetrical time control, fast-back, requires that the product is made to advance on the sliding surface no longer through a throw, but by sliding on it: in this way, it is possible to obtain a precise alignment between successive pieces, since no longer subject to repeated hopping. During the packing step for the collection of the product on the channel, the handling with asymmetrical temporal control solves the problem of the difficulty of alignment and the overlapping between successive pieces, a problem present in current linear resonant vibratory feeders.

Product movement occur on three axes in space, through electronic management of the electromagnetic actuators, operating individually or in a combined manner (two or more simultaneously) and/or applying time displacements between them.

It is possible to carry out movements on the XY plane, independently using guides with two degrees of freedom (such as "cardan joint"), which use flat leaf springs or linear sliding guides or similar mechanical components.

Use is allowed of leaf springs with the objectives of: synchronization of the movement device with respect to a rest position at the start of vibration (zero position); movement amplification, if considered the resonant effect generated by the triple "mass - spring - damper" system, which makes up the device itself.

The transmissibility of the generated vibration is minimized, with respect to the fixing surface of the moving device or to the floor, by applying dedicated anti-vibration supports.

The collision with the sliding surface following the directional launch, characteristic of linear resonant vibratory feeders with flat inclined leaf springs, can cause crumbling effects on the piece to be transported, especially in case of command of the apparatus at high accelerations. The so-called "delicate vibration" is useful for preserving the integrity of the piece during conveyance, reducing the possibility of its deterioration in the case of feeding food and/or pharmaceutical products and, more generally, of a fragile consistency. Furthermore, a resonant vibratory feeder, especially if of the circular cup type, bowl feeder, has the need to move large quantities of product, otherwise risking not being able to make the selection quickly or to create damage, if the movement in the cup is too long. Furthermore, there are particular cases that are difficult to manage with a traditional device, due to the shape and type of the piece to be selected, which require many hours of work to create the appropriate traps on the container, with results that are not always optimized. On the other hand, the three-axis mover with jolting functions can screen at each execution of the enslavement process minimum quantities of product, as long as they are sufficient to guarantee the required enslavement specifications, thus reducing the time dedicated to selection. Thanks to greater versatility and the use of an artificial vision system with robotic "pick & place", the new device subjects the product to a reduced number of movements, limiting the possibility of damage and wear due to contact with the container or vibrating channel and opening the way to feeding and interlocking particularly delicate components.

Finally, the cancellation of the vertical component of the throw involves a reduction in the transmissibility of the passive vibration, i.e. not used for transport purposes, with respect to the fixing surface of the handling device and/or to the underlying floor, with less annoyance for the operators in charge of the construction and/or use of the vibrating device. The installation of anti vibration mounts in elastomer or similar has the task of further limiting this defect, containing it during the actuation of the jolt movement. The resonant vibrating systems produce annoying noise for operators involved in the construction and/or users, during normal operation at frequencies between 50 Hz and 120 Hz. This is caused by the multiple resonances transmitted by the vibrating base, which generates movement, to the sheets constituting the support channel, to the fixing bench of the overall apparatus or other, for example the processed material, and increased if successive power supply groups are assembled in battery. Furthermore, the movement with "delicate vibration", produced in the absence of resonance by linear actuators, for example, voice coils, aims to reduce the transmission of vibration induced to the mechanical structures in action and support, minimizing the noise caused and the annoyance that follow.

The object of the present invention allows to achieve the intended purposes:

- product handling on three axes, longitudinal X, transverse Y, vertical Z; vertical jolt function, for piece overturning;

- combination of movements on the XY plane and vertical, along the Z axis, to determine a launch of the product with an arbitrary and variable angle, elliptical vibration;

- linear conveyance of the product, with the possibility of reversing the direction of travel, forward/backward; - product arrangement in an extensive manner on the selection plane, for piece storage by a camera, vision with artificial intelligence, and subsequent picking by a robotic pick & place; convenient product interchangeability, to meet different power requirements;

- loading of the sliding surface by means of a loading hopper;

- automated emptying of the sliding surface.

On the other hand, the following objectives complete the project: definition of the transport channel, including LED illuminator and loading hopper;

- insertion of anti-vibration mounts, to limit the transmissibility of the vibration generated to the support frame, banquet or robot floor;

- linear movement with arbitrary commands with variable acceleration, slow/fast or vice versa, for delicate product transport, asymmetrical or fast- back vibration principle; - product transport on a circular trajectory, with a combination of movements on the XY plane.

According to a configuration identified as optimal by the owner of the present invention, an electromechanical type movement and bouncer has the following characteristics: dimensions, excluding transport channel, illuminator and loading hopper: length: 300 mm; width 220 mm; height, excluding any anti-vibration mounts: 197 mm; total weight: 40 kg max; composed of permanent magnet actuators, so- called voice coils, one for each direction to be realized, with long stroke, 1-20 mm, and bidirectional control, forward/backward;

It can be driven in a variable frequency range (for example between 1 and 100 Hz) and possibly also in the absence of resonance.

Like an acoustic loudspeaker, the voice coil used in this application is an actuator consisting of a ferromagnetic core with a circular C-shaped section and a central core composed of permanent magnets (they are commonly used in ferrite and NdFeB), closed by a metal plate.

Movement is obtained from the interaction between:

- the static magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets, to generate a closed magnetic flux between the external and internal branches of the C-section of the ferromagnetic core; - the magnetic field induced by the constant air gap movement, for example in the order of 1 mm or less, of a copper winding in the cavity of the ferromagnetic core, to generate a magnetic flux that adds, attraction, or subtracts, repulsion, to the first, according to the direction assumed by the current flowing through the coil itself.

In this way, a forward or backward advancement of the body consisting of the copper coil is obtained, wound on a reel made of non-magnetic material (aluminum or plastic) and fixed to a flange for application to the handling device. On the basis of laboratory tests, in order to avoid conditions of magnetic saturation in the path of the magnetic flux, it is advantageous not to occupy the internal space of the selected ferrite ring- shaped magnets with ferromagnetic material, as this is not affected by the magnetism; furthermore, it is possible to occupy this space with non-magnetic material, for example, aluminum or plastic. A prototype of voice coil built for the vertical actuation of the bouncer mounts four permanent ferrite magnets with ring shape, with dimensions: external diameter, 80 mm; internal diameter, 40 mm; thickness, 10 mm. In this vertical actuator, the distribution of magnetic induction, or magnetic flux density, Bm, is such that the magnetic field lines, represented by magnetostatic analysis, closed between the periphery and the center of the C-section of the core, describe the operation of the actuator, capable of providing a force equal to 60 N with NI ~ 1000 Asp, far from the magnetic saturation condition of the ferrous material of which the core is composed, being Bm <1.5 T.

A longitudinal voice coil prototype and similarly the one for the transverse direction each mounts seven permanent NdFeB disc-shaped magnets, with dimensions: external diameter, 45 mm; thickness, 5 mm. According to experimental laboratory tests, a similar result was obtained by installing the copper windings on the ferromagnetic core (stator) and housing the permanent magnets (in ferrite or NdFeB) on a cursor (moving part) placed in alternating motion inside the ferromagnetic core itself (fixed part).

In the upper plane of the three-axis mover, the longitudinal and transverse voice coils are guided by pairs of leaf springs in fiberglass, given the high elasticity in bending of this composite material, having the sole task of synchronizing the moved system, referring it to a rest position. They have been parallelized, that is, mounted two at a time and suitably spaced, to increase their stability during oscillation. The flanges on which the longitudinal, X, and transverse, Y actuators are fixed are applied to a special support for the assembly of the relative leaf spring packs, in both cases, 1 mm thick. This, similar to a cardan joint, allows movement in one direction, for example, X, excluding that in the orthogonal direction Y and vice versa.

The vertical actuator, Z, located at the bottom, must generate sufficient force to shake the rest of the mover mounted on it, including: the upper plane on which the longitudinal and transverse voice coils lie; the transport channel consisting of a sliding surface, LED illuminator and casing; the product to select. A vertical voice coil, consisting of two electromagnetic units positioned in the center of the bouncer, is vertically guided by four packs of flat springs, 1 mm thick, fixed in the four corners, in the opposite direction. The sizing of the copper winding and the magnetic force generated by the voice coils was performed by magnetostatic analysis. The three-axis mover model with bump function, although without a transport channel, illuminator, vibration dampers and loading hopper, was validated with the "BROVIND SIS" simulator, applying the complete analysis procedure: with static-structural analysis, the preload of the vertical springs (bump system) which undergo the weight of the upper part of the device (and are affected by the force of gravity) has been evaluated; with modal analysis, the single movements reproducible on the three axes and the relative resonance frequencies were identified and distinguished: the leaf springs with guide function were sized in such a way that the three movements are almost isofrequential; introduced the magnetic force values that can be generated by the voice coils, through harmonic analysis, the three possible movements were triggered in an arbitrary way, validating the ACD model: it was thus possible to proceed to the prototyping step and to the construction of the electromechanical components.

With respect to the previous description, it is possible to obtain controlled spatial movement of a structure 1 with respect to a base 2 by composing according to a different scheme the same means for the generation of the reciprocating motion 5, 6 and the same transmission apparatus of the alternating motion of FIG. 2, comprising at least a pair of sheets 51, 61 mutually spaced on respective parallel planes, orthogonally to the direction of an alternating motion of the structure 1 and elastically deformed to support and guide the structure 1. The composition of a linear actuator 5, 6 is a reciprocating motion transmission apparatus of FIG. 2 which constitutes a module of

FIG. 12.

In detail, block 13 is fixed to the base 2 by means of a base 102 with an arbitrarily chosen angle greater than zero and at most equal to 90 degrees; on the other hand, block 14 is fixed to the fixed part (stator) of the linear actuator 5, 6, whose movable part (slider) is connected to the structure 1. In a particular case, the vertical axis of the actuator 5, 6 coincides with the axis which vertically crosses the reciprocating motion transmission apparatus of FIG. 2, with the plates 51, 61 mounted in pairs parallel and equidistant with respect to this axis. As for the previous architecture described, the pairs of foils 51, 61 have the task of conferring to the module of FIG. 12 rigidity in the vertical direction and to allow its motion at two degrees of freedom exclusively or combined, along the longitudinal and transverse directions, with respect to the structure 1. An elastic joint 101, for example an elastomer, placed between the structure 1 and the upper end of the slider of the single linear actuator 5, 6 supports the controlled movement of the structure 1 in all spatial directions.

Moreover, thanks to the elastic properties of the foils 51, 61, the structure 1 can assume a defined and repetitive rest position each time the command on the actuators 5, 6 is switched off.

Each module of FIG. 12 consists of a linear actuator 5, 6 which generates an alternating and guided linear movement (for example by means of springs or bearings applied between stator and slider), which can be managed with variable command in force, amplitude, frequency and towards (forward or backward). The command can be performed using the resonant effect developed by the blades and the masses involved, or in the absence of this. By combining a set of modules of FIG. 12, mounted inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the structure 1, symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal or transverse plane of the structure 1 and operated with synchronized (in step) or time-shifted commands, it is possible to obtain generic controlled spatial movements of the structure 1 with respect to the base 2.

It is chosen to mount a number of modules of FIG. 12 at least equal to three, for example in a triangle configuration, to ensure simpler management of the apparatus and to give the sliding surface placed above an acceptable equilibrium condition during the transmission of the movement, limiting its instability. A number of modules of FIG. 12 greater than three increases the stability of the structure 1 and allows the movement to be controlled more accurately.

An alternative embodiment of the handling device and equivalent to the use of the modules of FIG. 12 described provides for the replacement of the linear actuators 5, 6 with one or more rotary motors each equipped with an eccentric mass, having the function of generating the reciprocating motion of a cam. In detail, the variation in the number of revolutions of the single rotary motor and the composition of at least three motorized modules with eccentric masses applied to the structure 1, allows the controlled spatial movement of the latter. Referring to FIG. 9, a basic diagram has been identified for the electronic control of the actuators, based on transistor drivers with full- bridge connection (H-bridge), typically used for one-way or two-way control of DC electric actuators.